A Blue Car On The Road Paved In Love
by iloveromance
Summary: Niles' apology to Daphne for sneaking into her room brings results that are far beyond his expectations. (Episode: "Daphne's Room")


He didn't want to be there, but at Frasier's insistence he came.

"_I have a new wine that I want you to try." _Frasier had proclaimed enthusiastically, as though nothing out of the ordinary had occurred within the walls of his 19th floor home.

But Niles was no fool, although some would suggest otherwise.

At first he refused Frasier's invitation, using the worn excuse that Maris needed his help in planning her fortieth birthday. But he knew all too well that Frasier would never buy it. Maris had celebrated her fortieth birthday many times before and she'd stopped asking for Niles help with anything years ago, nor did she love him any longer.

However it wasn't the thought of seeing his brother that bothered him. Ironically the person he hoped to avoid was the same person who, in a sense, brought him to the Elliott Bay Towers on a regular basis. And he loved her with all of his heart.

He could still remember (and would most likely never forget) when Daphne had walked into her bedroom and saw Niles, Frasier and their father going through her belongings. Even Eddie had gotten into the act, holding her bra (a very beautiful one in a soft shade of pink) in his mouth.

His father and brother's antics were bad enough but it was the sight of Niles (who held her sheer white nightgown up to his chest) that made her eyes widen in horror. Almost immediately, she began screaming and yelling words and expressions that Niles never thought she would utter. And as the three Crane men scrambled from the room, the slam of the door behind him was like a blow to his heart.

Without even bothering to say goodbye, Niles raced out of the Elliot Bay Towers and into his car. He barely stopped for traffic lights along the way, wanting to get home as quickly as possible. The experience left him so shaken that he didn't even greet Maris upon his arrival at home. But it didn't matter anyway. Their marriage had dissolved months ago and he should have moved out immediately. But he was ashamed to tell his family about the inevitable end to his marriage. They would surely look down on him and say "I told you so", but he fully deserved it.

How could he be expected to help couples save their marriages when he couldn't save his own?

Feeling even more depressed, he went to his room and closed the door, unable to calm his shattered nerves. But he deserved every disturbing moment, for he'd brought it all upon himself. It was, by all accounts the worst night of his life, but it was nothing compared to the pain that he was feeling at this moment.

He stood at Frasier's door, his hand ready to ring the doorbell, and for the first time in his life he prayed that Daphne wouldn't be home. But before he could even reconsider that thought, the door opened and he was struck by her presence. However, it was vastly different than what he was used to.

Gone were the angelic smile and the soft, warm hand in his that often accompanied his arrival. Those wonderful gestures were replaced with a frown and dare he say a look of annoyance and anger. He was surprised at how much the silent shunning pained him. But he gathered his courage and smiled.

"H-hello, Daphne."

"Dr. Crane."

His name was terse on her pink, full lips as she opened the door for him.

"I came to see-."

"Your brother, I know. He told me that you were coming. He's on the phone with Frederick now but you can wait for him on the sofa." Her stern business-like tone was not unlike that of his shrew of a wife and the similarities made him shudder. For Daphne and Maris were as far apart in personalities and mannerisms as two people could be.

Suddenly he felt like a stranger in the home he'd spent more time in than his own.

"Do you mind if I-."

"You know where everything is." She snapped, pointing to the bar. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some reading to do... In the privacy of my room. You know what privacy is, don't you Dr. Crane?" Ordinarily he would have smiled at the way she pronounced the word _privacy _in her heavenly accent similar to _privilege_, but today he could only sigh. He watched helplessly as she stormed away in the direction of her room.

And suddenly he found courage that he never knew he possessed.

"Daphne, before you go, there's something I need to say."

She stopped him her tracks and stood in the hallway, her back toward him. He wanted so badly to go to her but he didn't dare. And when her eyes met his, he saw a fiery anger in them. "Well, go on with what you were going to say!"

Again the harshness startled him but he had no one to blame but himself. And finally he was able to speak. He took a deep breath, knowing that what he was about to say couldn't possibly be enough. But he had to try.

"Daphne, I'm so sorry. This whole incident was my fault. I know that it's easy to blame Frasier because, after all, he initially entered your room to retrieve his book and that was wrong. But it was I who suggested that we go in a second time. I said as much, telling him my reasons for wanting to do so. I said that if we couldn't' go inside, I simply wanted to press my face to the door to feel the wood grain against my cheek. I know it sounds crazy, but somehow it seemed like it would make me feel closer to you."

He paused momentarily, praying for his voice to remain steady before continuing.

"Um… Frasier told me that he bought you a new car and I sincerely hope that you enjoy it. You deserve every luxury in the world. Truth be told, it's long overdue that he repay you with more than money for the kindness that you've shown our family and the way you've taken care of Dad. Frasier and I can't thank you enough for saving Dad's life. We owe you so much Daphne and you didn't deserve to have your privacy intruded upon. No one deserves it, but especially you. But please don't blame Frasier or Dad. The fault is mine and I'm deeply sorry."

He paused once more, wishing that there were more words to get his point across. But he knew that the best way to resolve the situation was simply to leave.

"Would you please tell Frasier that something came up? Well… It's always good to see you Daphne, even under such harrowing circumstances. Goodbye." Filled with despair, he rose from the sofa and headed for the front door. But just as his fingers touched the doorknob, he heard her voice.

"Dr. Crane, please don't go!"

His heart beat faster and he turned to find her standing in front of him, her eyes glistening with tears. "Daphne-."

She moved toward him and engulfed him into her arms. The gesture stunned him and he held onto her, afraid to let go. They stayed in each other's arms for a long time and she finally spoke again. "Dr. Crane, those words were so beautiful. Thank you so much."

"Daphne, I-."

She drew back and smiled at him, taking his hand. "Come and sit with me on the sofa."

The scent of her perfume wafted in his direction and he dizzily followed her to Frasier's beloved Cocoa Channel sofa. When they sat down he was all too aware that she was still holding his hand.

"Daphne, I'm so sorry. I-."

Her fingers went to his lips, silencing him. "Don't."

Confused, he stared into her beautiful chocolate brown eyes. "Don't what?"

She smiled and removed her fingertips from his mouth. "I'm sorry for being so cross with you."

"Nonsense Daphne. You had every right! The fault is mine. I should have never entered your room. It's private, it's personal and I should never have-."

Once again he was in her arms and the touch was so comforting that he wasn't entirely convinced that eh moment was real.

"Thank you Dr. Crane, for understanding why I was so angry."

"Of course I understand. And I'll never invade your privacy again."

She held him closer, allowing him the pleasure of smelling her hair. "It's all right, Dr. Crane, but may I ask you something?"

"Of course Daphne. You can ask me anything."

"Well, I was just thinking. I haven't had much of a chance to drive me new car, what with taking care of your father and all."

"Daphne, if you need some more time off, by all means it will be granted. Frasier should never-."

She smiled as her cheeks flushed, the soft pink hue making her even more beautiful. "Actually I was wondering if you'd like to go for a drive with me."

He could hardly believe what he was hearing and the words made his heart sing. "I'd love to. And perhaps I could treat you to coffee or-."

The kiss she placed on his cheek made his dizziness return and when he stood, his knees felt wobbly. But he couldn't have been more euphoric. Daphne had forgiven him and had asked him to spend time with her.

"Are you ready, Dr. Crane?"

He looked up, momentarily forgetting where he was. "What? Oh… Yes. I'm ready."

Daphne smiled and took his hand. "All right. What are we waiting for?"

His hand still in hers, they made their way to the elevator and then down to the lobby. When they reached the garage, he gasped in surprise at the sight.

"Well, here we are!"

There in the very first parking space was Daphne's new car. The convertible, in a soft shade of powder blue, was even more impressive than his own Mercedes and he couldn't help but smile.

He beamed with pride as she unlocked the door, allowing him to climb inside. The interior was plush leather and he softly ran his hand across it.

"I know it's not as fancy as your car but I quite like it."

He smiled at her, wishing he could tell her what was in his heart. But instead he spoke in friendship. "It's a wonderful car, Daphne. It suits you perfectly."

"It does, doesn't it?" Daphne agreed. Her eyes brightened as she started the engine.

When they were out of the garage the sun made an appearance and she reached under the dash for a pair of powder blue sunglasses and slipped them onto her

face. The sight made him grin. She looked just like a movie star.

As though reading his mind, she laughed. "You must think I'm completely daft, wearing sunglasses that match me car, but I couldn't resist."

"Not at all Daphne. You look… stylish."

She laughed and reached for his hand. "Oh, Dr. Crane that's a phase I never thought I'd heard from you! Now, where should we go?"

"I'll leave that up to you, Daphne. This is your car and I think that you should make the decision. I'll go along with anything you want."

She thought for a moment and then her eyes lit up like chocolate diamonds.

"Oh, I know where we can go!"

He chuckled at the way her voice raised as though she was a child on Christmas morning. She turned the corner and headed toward the freeway. Carefully she merged onto Interstate 5 and headed north. Niles had no idea where they were going but he trusted her completely.

Before long she had turned off at the exit for the State Route 520 and headed toward Lake Washington. They pulled into the parking lot and she smiled at him. "Well, here we are. The Seattle Arboretum. I hope this is okay, Dr. Crane. I've always wanted to go here and it's such a lovely day. I've seen pictures but I know it's even more beautiful in real life."

Niles grinned, for he couldn't think of a more perfect place to be. "Of course it's all right, Daphne. It's more than all right. It's wonderful."

They climbed out of the car and walked to the entrance where the elaborate carved wooden sign beckoned them inside. At the ticket booth, Daphne reached for her wallet, but Niles gently pushed her hand away. "No, Daphne. I'll get this."

"But Dr. Crane..."

He smiled but kept his tone steady. "It's the least I can do."

"Well, all right. That's very sweet of you. Thank you."

After the tickets were purchased, they entered the arboretum. It certainly was beautiful, even more so than the gardens at the monstrous mansion that he once shared with Maris. Yoshi was an excellent gardener to be sure, but this was far beyond Niles' expectations. But he refused to think about his soon- to be ex-wife. Their marriage was long over and he was enjoying the company of the angel standing beside him.

They spent the day walking through the gardens, admiring the impressive landscaping. But it was the dreamy way that Daphne stared at the beautiful floral displays that made Niles smile. And suddenly he had an idea. He hated to bother her as she intently read the descriptions of each shrub and flower, but when he told her that he needed to leave for a moment, she nodded absently.

Even in her tranquil state, she looked incredibly beautiful; much more so than her surroundings and he rushed toward the entrance. When he had accomplished what he set out to do, he returned to find her still in the same position.

Careful not to startle her, he gently touched her shoulder. But the touch made her jump in surprise. And she turned toward him. "Dr. Crane…"

"I'm sorry I startled you. I just wanted to let you know that I'd returned."

Her eyebrows rose, indicating that she was clearly surprised by this news. "Returned? But-."

"Yes, I was… There's a very nice café near the entrance. Would you like some lunch?"

"That sounds lovely."

_Lovely_ didn't even begin to describe the setting of the cafe or the company and as they shared their meal, they talked as though they had been friends for years. And come to think of it, they had. But now they were opening up to each other in a way that they never had. After lunch they explored the rest of the arboretum and the gardens before making their way back to her car.

The drive back was quiet but just as pleasant as the ride to the arboretum had been. Although Niles was used to doing the driving, it was nice to be in the passenger seat, watching the sights of the city go by in the window. But his heart was racing in anticipation of what might happen when they returned home. And suddenly they were there.

When they found themselves in the hallway of the 19th floor, they couldn't help staring into each other's eyes.

"Would you like to come in, Dr. Crane?"

"Oh, thank you. That would be nice." Niles replied, feeling like a lovesick teenager.

When they entered Frasier's condo, he was still smiling at her. "Daphne, I can't thank you enough for the wonderful day. I hope it was enjoyable for you as well."  
She sighed in the same dreamy state as before. "I did. Oh, it was lovely, wasn't it? The flowers, the sunshine… the company… everything was absolutely perfect."

His cheeks flushed at the compliment, but he knew that he had to make amends. "Daphne, about before… when I came into your room…"

She took his hand in hers, making his heart beat faster. "Dr. Crane, please don't worry about that anymore. You've long since been forgiven. How could I not forgive you after those sweet words you said to me earlier?"

He barely had a chance to speak when he became the recipient of a warm hug, and her sweet scent was all around him. "Well… actually I have something special for you."

"For me? But what could you possibly-."

He reached into the paper bag he'd brought inside and removed the small bouquet of pink flowers, smiling at the way her fingers trembled as she took them from him.

"Dr. Crane, what…"

"I know how much you love flowers and I wanted to tell you again how sorry I am for every-."

She kissed his cheek softly, making his heart beat faster than before.

"You're so sweet, but Dr. Crane, really… you don't have to keep apologizing to me! You're forgiven."

He lowered his gaze to the floor. "Oh…" And then he felt her hand on his cheek.

"Thank you for the flowers. They're beautiful."

_You're beautiful and I love you so much… _is what he wanted to say, but what came out of his mouth was. "You're welcome. Well… thank you Daphne for such a wonderful day. Tell Frasier that I'll be over on another day to try his new wine."

With a sigh he turned to leave and as before the sound of his name stopped him at the door.

"Dr. Crane?"

"Yes, Daphne?"

"Would you please come into me bedroom with me? There's something I'd like to give you."

His mouth fell open and his eyes widened in stunned amazement. Surely she wasn't suggesting…

"Well, are you coming?"

He looked up, realizing at once that he'd been staring there for several minutes. And then he followed her to the hallway. His heart now thundering, he could only imagine what she had planned for him. He entered her room and she smiled mischievously, closing the door.

_Dear God…_

Any moment now he was sure to wake up and find this wonderful dream was just that…. A dream…

"Daphne…"

"I want us to have complete privacy, in case your father and brother come home. They would never understand."

The thoughts that he was having at the moment were thoughts that no well-respected man should ever have about a woman with whom he was merely friends with, but they came at full-force. He wouldn't dare think of taking advantage of her in any way but the fact that she was suggesting…

"Dr. Crane, are you all right?"

His mouth was so dry that he could hardly speak. "I-I…"

"Just relax…" She whispered, her hands stroking his cheeks. "I can only imagine what you must be thinking, me inviting you to me room."

He licked his dry lips, wondering why he was so anxious. "Oh… I don't think you have any idea…" He mumbled. His dream was about to come true and it was likely to send him into panic mode. But she smiled knowingly.

"You're nervous, aren't you? I promise I'll be very gentle."

He nodded rapidly, wanting so badly to speak, but he just couldn't. What could he possibly say?

Suddenly her arms went around his neck and her lips descended on his. The kiss wasn't at all what he was expecting and even better than his most vivid dreams. They continued kissing for several seconds, their mouths caressing and exploring for several seconds. The touch was soft and sensual and he pulled her closer, until the kiss ended, leaving him dazed with desire for her… it was the most wonderful feeling on earth.

"Daphne…"

She smiled and softly stroked his cheek, the way she had done before. "I know it wasn't what you were expecting and I'm sorry if I frightened you. I just wanted to thank you for such a wonderful day. Perhaps we can do it again sometime?"

His eyes lit up like stars and he wasn't even sure that he'd heard the words. But he heard his response; "Really?"

She laughed, amused by his nervousness. "Of course. I'm looking forward to it. Now, I think I hear your brother and father so you'd best get in there and try that wine. I'm a bit tired so I'm going to turn in, but I hope we'll see each other soon."

"O-Of course, Daphne."

His comment earned him a hug and the unexpected pleasure of another kiss. "I'm glad. Goodnight, Dr. Crane."

"Goodnight Daphne. Would you do me a favor?"

"I would love to do something for you. Because you've done so much for me."

"Will you call me _Niles_? Please?"

She kissed him again, a soft, quick kiss on his lips that made him feel like he could fly. And then she spoke again. "Goodnight, Niles."

From the hallway he practically floated into the living room w here his brother was pouring himself a glass of wine. Frasier looked up immediately, his expression one of annoyance. "Niles, where have you been? I finished my phone call with Frederick a while ago and I wanted to…. What's going on?"

Niles sniffled to avoid another sudden nosebleed. "Hmm? Why do you ask?"

"You look like you're a million miles away." Frasier pointed out.

"Oh… I was just thinking about a journey that I once took." Niles replied. "I'll never forget it as long as I live."

Frasier chuckled. "Must have been some journey."

Niles sighed, thinking of the kiss he'd shared with Daphne in the privacy of her room and how he longed for so many more. But he wouldn't rush it, because love took time to grow into something wonderful. And then he grinned. "Frasier, you have no idea."

**THE END**

_***** Thank you so much for reading. Reviews (Good or Bad/Guest or Logged In) are always appreciated! *****_


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